L’Accompagnatrice [The Accompanist] *** (1992, Romane Bohringer, Elena Safonova, Richard Bohringer, Samuel Labarthe) – Classic Movie Review 11,770

Director Claude Miller’s French 1992 drama L’Accompagnatrice [The Accompanist] is an intriguing, ambitious and often involving though somehow elusive World War Two wartime drama about the poor young piano accompanist of the title, Sophie Vasseur (Romane Bohringer), who takes a job with classical singer Irène Brice (Elena Safonova), who is married to wheeler-dealer businessman Charles Brice (Richard Bohringer), collaborating with the Nazis.

It is 1942 Nazi-occupied Paris, and while Charles battles his conscience, Sophie becomes obsessed with Irène. Sophie’s life changes dramatically, also becoming Irène’s maid, and she tries to show her loyalty to the singer by concealing the latter’s affair with French Resistance worker Jacques Fabert (Samuel Labarthe).

These are complicated, unusual characters in unique circumstances, fulfilling a tragic destiny that fate has designed for them. This strong material, lavishly realised in a careful period re-creation, is complex and diffuse, going off in several directions at once and becoming infuriatingly intangible.

But, even if the heart of the matter evades Miller, L’Accompagnatrice continues to surprise and entertain throughout.

The screenplay is by Claude Miller, Luc Béraud and Nina Berberova, from a novel by Nina Berberova,

The cast are Romane Bohringer as Sophie Vasseur, Richard Bohringer as Charles Brice, Yelena Safonova as Irène Brice, Samuel Labarthe as Jacques Fabert, Julien Rassam as Benoît Weizman, Bernard Verley as Jacques Ceniat, Nelly Borgeaud as Madame Vasseur, Claude Rich as The minister, and Sacha Briquet :as Dignitary.

Claude Miller (20 February 1942 – 4 April 2012). His first feature is the admired The Best Way to Walk.

The films of Claude Miller: The Best Way to Walk (1976), This Sweet Sickness (1977), Garde à Vue (1981), Deadly Run (1983), An Impudent Girl (1985), The Little Thief (1988), L’Accompagnatrice [The Accompanist] (1992), Le Sourire (1994), Class Trip (1998), Of Woman and Magic (2000), Alias Betty (2001), Little Lili (2003), A Secret (2007), Marching Band (2009), I’m Glad My Mother Is Alive (2009), See How They Dance (2010), and Thérèse Desqueyroux (2012).

Richard Bohringer (born 16 January 1942).

Romane Bohringer (born 14 August 1973). She is the daughter of Richard Bohringer and named after Roman Polanski. She won the César Award for Most Promising Actress for Savage Nights (1992).

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,770

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